Daedalus Demands
by emperorinsanity
Summary: The Daedalus and its crew, along with the Atlantis team, find trouble on their way back to Atlantis.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate Atlantis. MGM and SciFi hold the rights over the tv series.

**Warning: SPOILERS. CHAR DEATH.**

Laura Cadman was sitting in her temporary room on board the Daedalus staring at a picture of Carson Beckett and crying. She used her free hand to wipe away her tears, which came flooding back. It hadn't been long since Beckett died. It hadn't been long since she heard about it. With the McKay-Carter bridge still not in full operation, the Daedalus was the first alternative, since Earth could not be dialed from Atlantis.

She could hear talk outside her bunk, so she decided to clear her face of emotion and tears and got up. A roll of her eyes showed how much she wanted to see McKay again.

"Cadman," McKay spoke unable to say much more.

"Rodney," she replied.

"John," Sheppard smiled smugly.

McKay looked back at Sheppard and turned to walk away leaving Sheppard and Cadman behind.

"He's still uneasy with me, isn't he?" Cadman asked.

"Yeah, it's kinda creepy," Sheppard said. "You'd think after a year and a half, he'd be over it."

"I think he's just trying to displace his emotions onto me for the loss of Carson," she mentioned.

McKay entered engineering with his tablet in hand quite annoyed with current readings on the hyper drive. He could feel Hermiod staring him down, but chose to ignore it. He began hitting keys on the pad of the hyper drive computer trying to find an anomaly.

Finally, Sheppard and Cadman entered, giving McKay an even more uneasy feeling. "Does she have to be here?" McKay asked rudely.

"It's a ship, McKay," Sheppard replied. "There's not many places to go, so she can go anywhere she wants."

"Well, can't she go somewhere else?" McKay questioned.

"Apparently, I'm not wanted here," Cadman said heading out.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, McKay," Sheppard told him. "Pretty girl like that. . . Is bound to just get stuck in your head."

Looking up from his tablet with a tightened jaw, McKay glared at the colonel. "Do you always have to bring that up, hm?"

"Do you continuously have to ask questions?" Sheppard asked. "Now, shut up and find the damn anomaly you're looking for. The same anomaly you wouldn't shut up about for the last fifteen minutes."

McKay moved his lips to speak, but decided against it and turned back to get to work. "Somethings not right," he said poking the screen on his tablet.

"I have checked over the hyper drive several times, I assure you, Dr. McKay," Hermiod told him. "Nothing is wrong with it."

"Put the diagnostics up on the screen," McKay told him as he pointed to the large screen seated behind the Asgard. He moved to it trying to read the language. "There. What's that?"

"Nothing," Hermiod said in a monotone.

"There it is again," McKay pointed out. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Indeed," Hermiod stated after finally realizing what it was.

**To be Continued. . .  
**

**A/N:** I know its similar to SGA ep 2x02 "The Intruder", but what's in store is quite different. I hope you enjoyed. . .


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate Atlantis or its characters, settings, etc.

"What are you trying to tell me, doctor?" Caldwell asked him. "That the wraith virus has resurfaced?"

"No, its not a virus, and its not Wraith," McKay told him.

Caldwell narrowed his eyes at McKay. "Then what is it?"

"I'm getting to that, just quit interrupting me," McKay snarked. "Its Goa'uld."

"Goa'uld?" Sheppard asked as he was standing back behind Cadman.

McKay turned giving Sheppard an annoyed look. "Yes, that's what I said. Are you my echo for all those who didn't here me?"

Sheppard kept quiet for a moment alllowing McKay to continue.

"Okay, since I've established its Goa'uld," McKay stated, "and we know its running inside the program itself, like someone rewrote it all together. . ."

"How's that possible?" Caldwell asked.

"Someone could've beamed onboard," Cadman mentioned.

"In hyperspace?" Sheppard questioned skeptically.

"Well, it is possible, but not likely," McKay argued.

"Our scans showed no one onboard upon leaving Earth," Caldwell announced.

"Maybe we should have your head examined again," McKay directed at Caldwell.

"Perhaps yours, Dr. McKay," Caldwell replied.

"Oh, touche," McKay smirked. "Why draw this out, hm? I can simply just delete the program and insert the back up. I was very clear to make copies of all system programs so we could easily replace a corrupted file."

"How long will that take?" Caldwell asked.

"Not long, with help," he said.

"Cadman and Hermiod will aid you," Caldwell said.

"Cadman?" McKay complained in a huff. "Fine. She can help me delete the program."

"Good, update me when you're finished," Caldwell said exiting.

McKay glared at Cadman for a moment. "Let's get to work." He turned and began to use his tablet as he pressed the screen to get the copy of the program up. "Hermiod, can you bring up the hyper drive system on the screen again?"

"Of course," he spoke.

Meanwhile, back at Atlantis, Zelenka was bored and leaning over his computer with his head upon his chin. "When are they due back?"

"Within the hour," one of the nearby techs said.

Suddenly, Zelenka jumped up and looked at the screen behind him. "That's not good." He tapped his radio. "Dr. Weir to the gateroom."

McKay stared at the screen for a few moments wondering about his plan. "I don't get it."

"Why not, genius?" Cadman asked condescendingly.

"Because the backup program should not have been infected too," he announced.

Caldwell entered again. "What's the status report?"

"Well, the back up program is infected, too." McKay set down his tablet and turned back to them. "What's our heading?"

"We're still heading for Atlantis, according to the nav reports," Caldwell stated.

"Well, it hasn't tossed anyone out the airlock yet, or electricuted anyone," Sheppard announced.

"What are you trying to say?" Caldwell asked.

"Maybe it's not gonna kill us," he replied.

"Well, everything checks out, but it being there gives me the creeps," McKay told them all.

Weir finally entered the gate room to find Zelenka talking to a technician. "What is it?"

"There's an incoming ship on radar," he told her.

"Is it Wraith?" Weir asked.

"I don't know," he answered. "It is big enough, but it isn't showing us what type it is."

"Long range scanners are messed up?"

"No, I think whatever is coming at us is cloaked, somehow, from our scanners." Zelenka sighed heavily.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .


	3. Chapter 3

"What are our options, Dr. McKay?" Caldwell asked.

"Well, we could completely take out the hyperdrive system," McKay suggested. "We'd have to fully drop out of hyperspace, of course."

"How far are we from Atlantis?" Cadman asked.

**"**About thirty minutes," Caldwell answered.

"Can't we wait?" The blonde tapdancing explosives expert questioned.

"Wait?" McKay asked.

"Are you my echo now?" Cadman snarked with an annoyed tone.

McKay tightened his jaw and glared at her. "I was going to say. . . Are you insane? Thirty minutes from now we could all end up sucked into space unless we do something."

"That'd be bad," Sheppard added.

"You think?" McKay was beginning to get agitated. "If we shut down the hyperdrive and get it all broken down, we could reinstall the entire system in a few hours."

"Hours we might not have," Cadman said. "Even if we do get the system dismantled, what makes you think other systems aren't infected? We might need to do a diagnostic of the entire ship."

"That's it!" McKay said excitedly. "We run it through a translation program. We take the Goa'uld text and run it through a translation program to see what it says."

"How long will that take?" Caldwell asked.

"Eh, thirty minutes," McKay told him.

"We just don't have enough time," Cadman said.

"Yes, we do," McKay argued. "Look, all we have to do is figure out what it does, by translating it. We'll have time to spare, trust me."

"I hate it when he says that," Sheppard mentioned.

"How much time to spare?" Caldwell asked.

"Well, a few seconds, give or take," McKay replied.

"I don't like that sound of that," Caldwell stated.

"Neither do I," Sheppard agreed.

"Okay, lets get to work," McKay said. "We should have this done in no time."

"Thirty minutes seems like a lot more than just 'no time'," Sheppard announced.

"Well, eh, just go have something to eat, which makes me envious because I haven't eaten since this all started," McKay said sadly. "Could you bring me something back?"

"What?" Sheppard asked.

"Anything but citrus," McKay replied.

"Right," Sheppard said with a smug grin.

Caldwell walked out with Sheppard.

"I have this feeling he's going to bring back something with lemon in it," McKay said watching the two men leave.

"Oh, come on, he won't do that. . ." Cadman said sending the Goa'uld text to the tablet. "Until you've fixed the ship."

McKay turned around and noticed something in the corner. "What's that?" He asked as he moved closer to it.

"McKay?" Cadman asked as she began to follow behind him.

"Oh, no," he said with a worried expression.

"It's a bomb," Cadman finished his sentence.

To Be Continued. . .


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright, everyone out!" McKay ordered. "Now! You, too, Hermiod."

Cadman helped usher everyone out, then turned back into the room. She figured she could disarm it, being an explosives expert.

McKay took notice of that and followed her back in. "What are you doing?"

"Disarming it," she told him picking it up and placing it on a table. "Close the blast doors."

McKay just glared at her finding her bravery extremely stupid.

"Close the blast doors, now, Rodney," Cadman ordered.

McKay spun and hit the door control console and locked it tight. "There."

"Good, maybe we can contain the blast," Cadman stated.

"I don't think so," he pointed out. "That's a naquadria bomb."

"Then our only option is to disarm it," Cadman told him.

"Okay, get to it!" McKay rushed.

"Eh," Cadman said nervously. "Rodney, we have a problem."

"Hm?" He asked moving closer to the bomb. "And all this time I thought you were an explosives expert. Seems all you're good at is tapdancing, eh?"

"Now is not the time for this," Cadman stated. "I need this Goa'uld translated."

"Why do you need it translated? Can't you just cut a wire and it be disarmed?"

"You've seen way too many movies, Rodney," Cadman told him. "I'll need to know if its some kind of warning."

"Right," he realized and began trying to translate the words.

Sheppard and Caldwell showed up outside the door. "What's going on?" Caldwell asked.

"Seems Cadman and McKay found a bomb," Hermiod said calmly. "They have sealed off the room to keep the blast from affecting the rest of the ship."

"This trip just gets better and better," Sheppard announced.

"You have dealt with a naqadria bomb before, right?" Cadman's question showed her concerns.

"Well, yes, but never anything like this," McKay answered. "It's completely tied into a detonator unlike I've ever seen." He looked over to Cadman. "You can disarm it, right?"

"Did you get my translations?"

"Right here," he said as he pointed at the tablet screen.

"Hm." She rubbed her chin for a moment. "Okay, here goes nothing." She reached down but stopped and looked back at McKay. "Keep your fingers crossed."

"Oh, that's comforting," McKay snarked.

"Sh, let me work, Rodney."

"That really is annoying," McKay stated.

"Now, you see how others feel when you do it," she told him as she opened the top of the bomb. She looked down at the many wires that pervaded the small space. "A little cramped."

"According to navigation, we should be nearing Atlantis," McKay said looking at his watch. "How long will this take?"

"A bit longer, why? Have a hot date with Dr. Brown?"

"No," McKay said shifting his shoulders slightly. "She and I, eh. . . that's none of your business."

"Oh, come on, Rodney," Cadman taunted. "You can kiss and tell."

"There wasn't a whole lot of that going on," he told her. "Could you please concentrate on the bomb? I have a very high interest in staying alive."

"So, do I, which is why I'm trying to make conversation," she mentioned. "It'll keep me occupied while I diffuse this thing."

"Colonel Caldwell," a voice boomed over the radio. "We've just pulled out of hyperspace."

"Good, bring us to a halt," Caldwell ordered.

"Yes, sir," the navigator said playing with the controls. "Sir, nav controls aren't responding."

"What's our current heading?" Caldwell asked.

"Atlantis, sir."

**TO BE CONTINUED. . .**


	5. Chapter 5

"Get me a direct link to McKay," Sheppard said to the closest tech. "McKay, we've pulled out of hyperspace, but the engines won't shut down. We're currently heading straight for Atlantis."

"That explains a lot," McKay stated. "The Goa'uld want Atlantis gone so the Wraith don't get to Earth."

"That's all very fascinating, Rodney, but we need to stop the ship and deactivate that bomb," Sheppard mentioned.

"We're working as fast as we can," McKay told him.

"That's not good enough," Sheppard said.

"Yes, well, stop pestering us," McKay snarked.

"Hurry the hell up!" Sheppard yelled before turning off the radio. He looked at Caldwell. "They'll get it done," he smiled smugly.

"How's it coming?" McKay asked Cadman.

"Um, good," she lied.

"Right, so I guess you should've stayed in the tapdancing field, eh?"

Cadman's jaw tightly clenched at his words. "Then I wouldn't have the liberty of annoying you. If you think you're just the only genius to ever grace the galaxy, you need to be doing this!"

"Oh, yeah?!" McKay began to yell at her moving forward as she turned back to him. McKay faced the device while she stood behind him. "I bet I could disarm it, so maybe you should just stand back and do a tapdance or two."

Cadman's eyes narrowed at the petty little man. "You are the most arrogant, selfish, petty little bastard I know."

"Like I haven't heard that before," McKay said holding the wire cutters in his hands.

"You're so self involved with an over inflated ego," Cadman argued.

"Oh, that coming from a girl who has been inside my head," McKay replied. "It's no secret that I'm all those things. Well, except maybe a bastard."

Caldwell looked out the viewport from the bridge. "How long until impact?"

"Estimated time of impact is ten minutes," the pilot said.

"Sheppard," Caldwell called through the radio. "McKay needs to hurry up. We impact with Atlantis in ten minutes."

"Copy that," Sheppard said. "McKay, hurry it up."

"Working as fast as I can," McKay stated in an annoyed voice. "I have a fairy yelling in my ear."

"A fairy? I'll give you a fairy you insignificant little. . ." Cadman yelled at him.

"Oh, please, you joined the military because you couldn't cut it doing your little dances."

Cadman raised her finger to his face, but stopped. She thrust her arms around him and kissed him on the lips.

"What was that for?" McKay asked.

"A man who isn't afraid to say what's on his mind is a turn on," she said.

"I've always been like that," McKay told her.

"Yeah, but not like this," she said slipping the wire cutters from his hand and cut a wire on the bomb dissabling it.

"Wha. . . how did you?" McKay asked shocked.

She gave a sly smile.

"McKay?" Sheppard asked through the door. "Cadman, have you killed Rodney? It's aweful quiet."

"Not yet, but I'm going to," she with a smile at him. "You're not as bad as I thought. All that time I spent in your head made me think you were really just self involved."

"Well," McKay said searching for the words.

"Aren't you going to ask me out on a date?" Cadman asked.

"Um. . . wait til we've not crashed, hm?" McKay said as he shifted to the engineering station Hermiod stays at. He bent down and began to unplug the power to the console. "There." He stood up quickly and looked across at her and smiled.

"You just suddenly came up with that?" Cadman asked.

"Well, you mentioned being in my head," he said. "So, that gave me an idea about the navigation computer and the engine. Disconnect them."

"And how long will it take to fix it?" Cadman questioned.

"I'm not sure if it worked," he said tapping his radio. "Caldwell, this is McKay."

"I guess you disarmed the bomb and solved our navigation problem."

"Yes," he said simply. "I take it we're dead in space."

"That'd be correct, doctor," Caldwell stated.

Cadman glomped McKay and kissed him again. "You really are a genius."

"I know," he gloated.

"You kiss better than Beckett," Cadman said, stroking his ego.

"Hm, well, oddly enough, I can say the same," McKay told her.

The bulkhead doors opened and Sheppard and Ronon entered. Cadman jumped back off McKay quickly, which gather a strange look from both Sheppard and Ronon Dex.

"Ronon," McKay said trying to look less flushed. "I see you finally woke up."

"Yeah, all the commotion did that," he told him.

"Well, its all good now," McKay told him with a nod. "Let's get back to Atlantis. I'm starving."

**The End**


End file.
